Don't Look Back
by Evergr3en
Summary: "It'll be easier if you forget." He offers a vial to Leaf, and her eyes widen. "Is this...the memo—" A nod. She hesitates, remembering. "But…Gary..." "He won't accept you." His irises are red, with flecks of almond, and they look utterly drained. He's telling the truth, Leaf realizes, somehow unsurprised. She reaches out—its smoothness is so innocent—and uncorks the vial... LGS/ORS
1. Prelude

_Prelude: Before Everything, There is a Story _

* * *

In a forest, far from civilization, lived a mother and daughter-and they were arguing. Fearsomely.

"It's not fair!" the daughter cried. "I don't want to live alone and sad! Not like you!"

"Daughter! This is our lifestyle, and it is _law_. It will be a disaster if we decide to mingle with _humans_." The mother was adamant, and her lifestyle was a scientific theory, meaning, a theory backed up heavily by evidence, but yet, it could be proven wrong.

The daughter was determined to do just that, and as the mother walked away from their gruesome argument, she screamed:

"I won't! _I won't do it_!"

The next day, the mother found herself daughterless.

* * *

Sunny and Will were sitting on a small stone bench in the outskirts of Floroma Town, hands clasped together, and their antsy eyes darting across the green meadow. Their baby sat cradled in her mother's arms,

"Sunny…" The world had changed, and Will Green was no exception. He looked tired and older than he really was, under the dim lights of the street lamps.

"Yes?" she whispered, because she knew what he wanted to say, what he wanted to do. She pretended to be occupied with her baby—_their_ baby—by nudging the tan blanket across her child's face.

"The world's changing," was all Will said, and Sunny understood the hidden message to it.

_Another thing that's __changed_, thought Sunny ruefully. _Sometimes…as humans say…ignorance is bliss… But I suppose being in the dark isn't all that smashing either…_

"I know…" She let loose a long sigh.

"Where to next?" Will's eyes, long eroded from hardships, were focused on the darkening horizon.

Sunny tried to sit up straight, and fixed her lips into a determined, solemn line.

"Pallet."

Bending her knees to stand up, a thought-so sudden and so horrible-flitted through her head, that she was left verbally and mentally blank. And it was this:

_We used to be so happy_.

* * *

On the porch of the yellow house off Ganandy Street, sat two people in fluffy armchairs, their eyes fixed to the cerulean sky overhead, but ears finely in-tuned on what the other had to say. The paint of the methodical little cottage was repainted every six months. The little blades of grass in the front yard were in uniformed lines, bowing to the wind, like tiny saluting soldiers. One might say such perfectionism is dangerous—frankly, perfectionists were more than likely to be nosey; to of course, gloat on the prospect that outsiders were mere mortals, and as themselves, spotless in the world of gossip and scandals.

Today, Ronald Hinnigin and Gloria Aberforth were discussing the Green family.

"There's something strange about the wife, I tell ya. The entire family, actually. The father is the only _decent_ one, I suppose," insisted Ronald Hinnigin wildly.

They had been debating upon this particular subject for ten strenuous minutes, and as while Gloria and Ronald—the biggest gossips in town—usually agreed with each other, but when they found that they _hadn't_ on the Green family, they didn't know how to deal with such a strange matter.

"I don't know what's wrong with you these days, Ronald! Being so incredibly tactless to the neighbors." Gloria was usually an insinuative hypocrite.

"I swear on Arceus. There's something suspicious about the wife… The other day, she fell from the roof—I suppose she was mending, or whatnot—and she landed plumb on her side. And not a scratch on her, I tell ya."

"Did she see you?" inquired the woman sharply, and relaxed when he shook his head. She then sniffed caustically. "I suppose that is something to let the mind wander about, but honestly, Ronald, there are far more interesting stories than the _Greens_. Like the Oaks, for instance. Did you hear that Julianna and Trevor Oak left their four-year-old behind with Samuel? Malicious, I might add. There is nothing quite worse than abandoning your own child."

"Quite right," Ronald agreed, and his dove-gray eyes enlarged ever so slightly when the Green child toddled into his line of vision. The wife hurried toward her daughter, and carried her back inside. The door slammed shut. And then with the cerulean sky back in his vision, the wine burning itself down his throat, and Miss Gloria Aberforth's (usually enjoyable) mumbling in the background, Ronald Hinnigin couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something quite off with the family.

And silently, with lips curled into a mirthless smile, he promised himself to find out just what.

But as they say, all's good is due within time. Ronald Hinnigin plucked a meticulously sliced lemon from the tea tray, and with a flick of dexterity, lemon intermingled with wine.

* * *

"Jenny! _Officer Jenny_!"

In the small, local police station of Eterna City, Officer Jenny was methodically writing. As there wasn't much crime in Eterna, the station was usually left to its own devices. This usually meant paperwork for Jenny Blalally, and a day with absolutely nothing but waiting for a crime of some sort to crop up.

Oh, and to go home.

(Privately, the officer knew it was simply awful to wish such thing… But once in a while, Jenny wished Team Galactic was still on the move. Hence, the emphasis on boredom.)

Once upon a time, if Officer Jenny had heard such a call, she would've straightened like a board, automatically fingered her gun and her pokeballs. But, once upon a time was far away, and today was the present.

"Tully?" said the officer lazily, nudging her foot against the desk so that the chair and its occupant, whipped around to face Jenny's caller. Jenny did not note Tully's horrified face. Yawning a bit, she asked, "Did Dan raid the fridge again, because frankly, you know how he gets and—"

"No—no—no—no!" cried Tully, her red hair glowing like a small halo. "It's awful! There's this man…this man…"

Officer Jenny stood up from her chair, but alas, her reflexes had eroded, and she didn't even think about her Pokemon or her gun. "Tully, calm down," she advised, and placed a comforting hand on her assistant's shaking shoulder. Jenny distantly wondered what sort of thing would reduce Tully to tears.

"It's a civilian!" wailed Tully, face ever-so pale. "He was knocked away from the Cycling Road and fell, but _I—can't—find—him_! And the blood! _It's everywhere_!"

Tully's voice rang sharply in Jenny's head, and she barely felt herself bounding down the steps, and for a few desperate moments, she fumbled for her radio, and clipped it clumsily onto her belt.

There was this..._thing_... A suspicion... A _memory_.

_No..._

_Today is the present_.

_He's gone. _

_Delete memory. _

_Delete._

_Delete._

_Delete._

Jenny blew open the station doors, and stampeded down the road, toward the aforementioned Cycling Road. As she was running, she distantly felt Tully's presence behind her. When the officer skidded to a stop, her eyes barely skimming across the hastily put together yellow caution tapes, a crying bicyclist, and several other pedestrians who were milling around, expressions worried and antsy.

Jenny peeked over the railing, and her breath hitched.

Blood.

It was everywhere—the blood. Wildly crimson, and innocently sinking into the soil, staining it red. Jenny felt rather faint; which was sure something, coming from a woman who'd experienced and witnessed numerous gruesome injuries during the Galactic days.

As if in a daze, she heard the small voice of Tully, who insistently nudged a plain tan wallet into her hands. As if inanimate, Jenny robotically flipped it open, and as expected, an ID card with a smiling face of a man stared back at her.

_Darrel Ketchum_.

Black hair.

Red eyes.

Darrel Ketchum, who would be proclaimed as _missing_. Or _dead_.

No—no—no—no…not again…

The world began spiraling, and somehow, Jenny pulled out her radio… _Just like all those years ago…_

"_Victor! Come in, do you hear me?!"_ Jenny found herself screaming, borderline to hysterical.

"Jenny?" A pause and the crackle of static. "Are you…_radioing_ me?" came the voice of Victor, voice light and amused. "I actually can't rem—"

"_Shut the hell up, Victor_!" she screamed, eyes frantic and scared; she was speeding back to the past...mush, much too fast... "A civilian has disappeared near the Cycling Road! I repeat: _a civilian has disappeared _near_ the _Cycling Road_!" _

"The cave?" whispered Victor, and a bout of static muffled what sounded suspiciously like a chocked sob.

Jenny ignored it, and against her will, tears pricked her eyes. "Gather Andrew, Logsby, and Ann." Officer Jenny felt something wet cascade down her cheeks.

_Plop._

_Drip._

_Plat._

She hastily rubbed them away, tensing her mentality, before slumping, already defeated.

"We're going in."

_Nothing_.

_Nothing_.

_Nothing_.

Darrel Ketchum was gone—a man that Jenny never met, and would never meet.

_Darrel Ketchum is gone._

* * *

_These people, how important they may seem, are the beginning. They are our supporting beams._

_Leaf Green and Gary Oak are the people who _really _matter when it comes down to it._

_And their story is fast approaching._

* * *

_a/n - _Welcome to my first leafgreen/oldrival fic! I have epic plans for this, and I hope you'll stick around, yeah? (It'll give me something to do than groan over school:p) kehkeh.

well, this is (obviously) the prologue/prelude, so if that grasped your attention, follow...or something... Keep tabs... I dunno. Well from here, it'll circulate a bit through Leaf and Gary's childhood/first meeting/getting their first pokemon-the like. Then...to the present. Dundun...dun.

note: Anyone wondering about RC? I'm wondering too. I'm just going with the flow.

Review? :)


	2. They Were Young

_They Were Young_

* * *

The girl sat on the swing, and she swung. Back and forth, back and forth like a metronome, her hair flying. The wind caught her russet locks, and the girl reveled in the feeling of sharp, exhilarating air against her scalp. A book was carefully sitting on the ground, little ways from the swing, its cover shining without a speck of dirt.

Swinging was nothing spontaneous—one could predict what will happen next—but it was comforting, a normalcy for seven-year-old Leaf Green.

That passing morning, Leaf had attended school. A bus rumbled to sleepy little Pallet Town every morning to tow the town's youngsters to the city. Because Pallet Town was _that_ small, and no elementary school existed then.

When Leaf decided that her young calves were tired from pumping herself into the air, she tucked her feet onto the wooden bench, enjoying the sharp, autumn breeze.

"Leaf, honey? Leaf?" a voice, something that tasted sweet as a Combee's honey caught onto Leaf's ears, and she cocked her head and said, "What is it, Grandma?"

"Come inside, dinner's almost ready," she responded, and the clinking silverware and the aroma of supper sharpened, became more _real_.

Leaf hopped from her perch, pocketed her book; and then momentarily gazed off into the horizon, where the sun was making its predictable, reliable decent to the west. "See you tomorrow," she bade conversationally, and Leaf mounted the stairs to the house's gable, and slipped into the warm confines of her home, remembering to lock the door, and slide the bolt home.

* * *

Supper, at first, was an enjoyable scene.

Leaf dug ravenously into her plate of noodles, her table manners a tight, neat cinch. There was no such thing as slurping noodles, raining sauce, and gripping the fork as if one would hold a knife, to Leaf. Leaf Green was a peculiar child, and her grandmother and grandfather were keenly aware of the fact.

"So," began Henry Green, Leaf's grandfather, before downing a glass of his chosen beverage that evening—Moomoo milk, "how was school?"

"It was okay," Leaf chirped. "Other than the fact that Miss Lacy made everyone play ball."

Henry and Amanda Green exchanged a look. "Leaf, was there… a particular reason you didn't want to play ball?"

The grandparents had discussed what to do with their antisocial child—who preferred books over people—and instead of leaving her be as they had done previously, (they had thought she would've outgrown the stage as she got older) they finally decided to do something about it.

Leaf forked a bout of noodles into her mouth. Chewing, she contemplatively said, "I don't think the older kids like me. But it's okay, I don't like them much, either. But they _do_ like this other new kid. He's seven like me. His name is Gary Oak." She paused. "Gary's good at playing ball."

Amanda blinked, her gray irises showing a bit of surprise. "I didn't know Samuel sent his grandson to a public school," she mused to no one in particular. "Last time I saw Samuel, he seemed determined to school the boy at home. And he's an advanced placement? I didn't know that, either."

"You're a bit behind the times, my dear. That was almost a decade ago," Leaf's grandfather said, and Amanda snorted.

"I've noticed, but thank you for your input, Henry," she said back, and Leaf smothered a grin.

"Say, Leaf, have you talked to Gary?" inquired Henry.

"No." The brunette shook her head, and her hair momentarily took flight. "I don't think he likes me much, either."

"Well, that's bound to change, once he actually speaks to our wonderful, charismatic granddaughter," said Amanda and the brunette listlessly shrugged.

"I'll talk to Samuel. Maybe you two can have some sort of get-together," Henry said, and Amanda nodded her approval.

"But…I don't want to." A stubborn frown creased over Leaf's lips. She deeply regretted mentioning Gary Oak.

But the idea had already caught fire, and Leaf was left to watch it all, when there was no longer fire, but pitiful ashes, strewn across the ground—dead.

* * *

"Stop being so _difficult_, Leaf!" Amanda Green was incredibly put-off. She supposed it was the aftermath of Leaf's compliness over the past years—never arguing, back-talking, or in this case, taking part in a typical childish tantrum.

Only that Leaf's tantrums consisted of fixing herself underneath a bed and arguing sensibly, rather than screaming and crying.

"I don't want to," Leaf said plaintively. "Gary Oak doesn't like me! And I'm certain he doesn't like me, either!"

"Leaf!" thundered Amanda sternly, "the boy hasn't even met you. Give him a _chance_."

"Well, we all know how this is going to end! If he doesn't hate me now, he's bound to hate me sooner or later!" The firmness and frankness in Leaf's tone was tangible, and Amanda winced.

"_Leaf Green_…if you don't come out now, you can say goodbye to your journey." Amanda's voice was soft and stern, and Leaf's jaw dropped.

"Grandma!"

"_Now_."

Sulkily, Leaf crawled out from the narrow niche. The child frowned when Amanda fussed over her tangled locks and disruly appearance from spending the last hour amongst the malicious dust bunnies.

They left the house at two o'clock-Leaf, still frowning, and Amanda, wholly determined. The sun was at the highest point in the sky, and Leaf loitered, pretending to be incredibly fascinated with a flock of Pidgy that happened to soar past. Leaf even purposely stepped on the laces of her shoes, until she retied them at least five times, claiming she didn't tie them the _right_ way.

Amanda, like any other parent (or grandparent) saw through these actions at once, but merely humored the girl, still not quite used to a rebellious Leaf. When the pair reached their destination, Amanda knocked, ignoring Leaf's last ditch attempt of, "_No_, Grandma! If you _really_ love me please, _please_, do-"

Leaf silenced when the door opened, and the view of Professor Oak's face (Leaf had to crane her head upwards) greeted her.

"Hello, hello," said the elderly man with a welcoming smile. "Amanda, I'm looking forward to having a chat—we haven't talked in ages... Which is quite the surprise, considering the size of Pallet, eh?" His gaze turned to the small girl beside Amanda. "Oh! And this must be Leaf!"

"It's wonderful to see you as well, Samuel. And Leaf—"Amanda nudged Leaf's back insistently, "—why don't you say hello?"

"Hi," mumbled the brunette timidly. "Nice to meet you, Professor Oak."

"Likewise, Leaf. Now, come in, come in, Gary's in the back, playing with the Pokemon, of course."

At the mention of Gary, Leaf visibly gulped once Professor Oak turned his back. It took three sharp tugs for Leaf to stumble down the hallway, a fist clenched white.

The setting of an unwilling play-date could have been worse, on Leaf's part. The Oak's backyard couldn't really be called a backyard, because it opened up into a fenced meadow, complete with waving grass that happened to thrive in the colder months, and the occasional tree; and if one continued on further, it branched out into a densely wooded forest, which Leaf ogled, impressed. Amanda and Henry never did like forests, and hence, Leaf didn't traverse into them often.

Cupping his hands around his mouth, Professor Oak called, "Gary!" He sighed when he received no answer, and his voice bounced lonsomely before dying away into the distance.

Leaf watched, curious, when the professor slipped his hand into the pocket of his white lab coat, and produced a shiny black whistle. The brunette was unprepared for the startling shriekness of the object, and Leaf flinched, her hands automatically going to her ears. But despite its scream, it was a long time before Gary came to view (Professor Oak looked terribly displeased).

And when Gary did show up, it was like something from a story book. The youth leisurely walked from the confines of the wood, it was if the trees parted for him. The Charmander by his side added to the effect that he could and would face anything, and win. Even from a few yards, Leaf could tell that the boy was the exact same height as she was (his spiky brown hair gave him a more centimeters, but Leaf believed that hair didn't count in terms of height). Quite literally, if they stood face-to-face, their noses would touch. His dark gray eyes portrayed the irritation that his face did.

Suddenly keenly aware of the dreaded newcomer, Leaf frantically scrambled behind Amanda, and her grandmother sighed.

"Do you happen to remember me talking about Leaf?" Professor Oak said, waving a hand toward Leaf and Amanda.

"…No," he deadpanned, and turned away toward the fire-type, before saying snootily, "If that's it, I'm leaving."

Leaf felt her jaw runaway at the rudeness.

"Gary, get back here and at least introduce yourself," Professor Oak said sternly, and due to Amanda's shove, Leaf was in full view for Gary-from her worn sneakers to her russet-colored hair-who stared at her critically.

A pause.

Leaf felt the sudden urge to bite her fingernails; an action that she loathed to watch, but now, she could _almost_ see the appeal in it.

After a few erratic heartbeats, Gary said (with much disdain):

"I'm Gary Oak, so there." The brunet scowled before ambling off.

Cautiously, Leaf stared up toward Amanda and Professor Oak, whose faces were befuddled and pinched, respectively. She had absolutely no idea what to make of this. Gary Oak didn't like her, and he might as well shouted it. Her peers at school had a bit more subtlety to it then him, that's for sure.

"Go on, Leaf, follow him. He'll warm up to you in no time," chuckled Professor Oak sheepishly, his eyes latched onto the back of his grandson.

Leaf seriously doubted this, but Amanda was giving her the evil eye; and sighing disconstancly, the brunette trotted after Gary, not looking forward to catching up to him, but neither wanting to stay in the vicinity of Amanda and Professor Oak, either.

After a few moments in the forest, surrounded by chirping bridcalls, Gary asked, "Are you going to keep following me?"

Leaf didn't say a word.

Irritated, the brunet swiveled his head, and remarked, snorting, "You're like a mute."

A pause seemed to stretch infinitely until Leaf said quietly, "What's wrong with being mute?"

Gary rolled his shoulders, his brow furrowed, feeling surprised that his tagalong actually responded. "Mutes…are weird," he finally proclaimed, "they're not like us."

"That's…not funny."

"I wasn't trying to be funny. If I was, you would've laughed," Gary said loftily, arrogantly.

Leaf had no idea of what to respond to that.

"Pick up your pace," Gary suddenly snapped, and Leaf sighed, aggravated, but obediently began moving her legs faster, and the crunching of dead leaves grew more prominent.

"Where're we…going?" Leaf asked, irritable that she wasn't able to enjoy a forest's splendor, due to _someone_.

"To the clearing."

"What clearing?"

"Shut up."

Leaf frowned. It was worse than she previously feared—this boy _really_ didn't like her. Maybe even tiptoeing onto hate.

…And Leaf Green wasn't exactly crazy about Gary Oak, either.

Like Gary had said, it was a clearing. And it was wonderful. The trees-clearly deciduous-were shedding their leaves, and it was almost like watching pieces of the sun fall.

"Stand there." Gary pointed to the other side of the sleeping meadow.

"Why?"

"We're having a Pokemon battle." Gary called for Charmander and Squirtle, and they bounded from the thick brush. Leaf cocked her head. There was the Charmander from before, and he met her gaze evenly. It's emerald irises were mesmerizing, and Leaf shook herself from the trance.

"A…_Pokemon battle_?" Leaf felt cold sweat break out. "But, we aren't even real trainers yet… What happens if one of us gets hurt?"

"Oh, stop being such a weenie," Gary snapped.

"I'm not being a weenie," Leaf shot back, surprising herself. "I'm being sensible_." _

"_Ooh_, sensible," Gary taunted, snorting. "More like boring."

"_No way! _I just-"

"_Char-char-charamander_!"

The youths spun from their argument to the Charamander. And surprisingly, the little fire-type hopped to Leaf's side. He patted Leaf's leg, as if to reassure her, and developed a fighting stance.

Bewildered, Leaf asked the Pokemon, "Are you sure?"

"Its _obvious_." The brunette flinched; she definitely regretted asking. Leaf could taste Gary's scorn and uppity attitude. "Of course he does. Charmander's a fighter." Gary whistled, and called, "Oi, Squirtle!"

Squirtle, whom Leaf recognized as the water-type starter of the Kanto region, bounced to Gary's side-shell and all.

"We're going to fight them," Gary explained to Squritle, and the turtle-like pokemon nodded, crying excitedly.

"Wait, what?!"

Gary ignored her. "Squirtle, attack with Tackle!"

Leaf felt herself freeze, but some instinct, some motive, made her shout, "Move out of the way, Charmander!" voice tight, and watched as the fire-type pokemon successfully evaded the attack.

Squirtle growled, irritated that he had missed.

The two pokemon brawled, trading attacks and taking the use of their few supporting moves. Longer the battle progressed, Gary's eyebrow arched higher, clearly bewildered. He had previously planned to demolish the pair, and they were proving harder to take down, and Gary's determination hardened.

He would not be beaten at his own game.

Rejuvenated, Gary yelled, "Squirtle! Water gun!"

A stream of water explosively shot out of Squirtle's maw. He, too, had sensed his partner's determination.

"Smoke Screen."

Smoke spilled out of Charmander's mouth like rolling storm clouds, effectively hiding the fire-type from view. Charmander watched, smirking, as Squirtle fumbled around in the darkness, coughing and rubbing his eyes. Then, at his partner's command, Charmander rushed forward, claw's elongated, and slashed wildly. The lizard-like pokemon cried out when his target suddenly hardened. Charmander recognized the technique: it was Withdraw, a defensive move that Squirtle liked to use. By then, the smoke had dispersed, leaving Charmander unveiled.

"Water Gun!"

"Growl!"

Water shot from within, once again, and Squirtle cringed when Charmander's Growl attack took effect. In that moment, just before water-type attack hit Charmander, Squirtle raised his blue paws to his ears, and _in that moment, _Water Gun was diverted, and slammed waywardly into the bushes, and the bushes _yowled_.

Silence.

Gary and Leaf exchanged confused glances, as well did Squirtle and Charmander, who had immediately ceased fighting.

The bushes shivered violently, and the youths tensed, and from its depths, a rather rumbled man came into view. He straightened his coat, and perked a strange, strange eyebrow. He did not seem to be self-conscious at all.

"Hello, children."

The man was tall. Tall and lanky, his hair a dark shade, eyes, a curious shade of smoky blue or gray. He was dressed like a business man, like the ones in the city, Leaf noticed, and she and Gary exchanged curious glances. Leaf slipped next to Gary's side.

"Who're you?" Gary finally demanded.

"Honored to meet you in person, Mr. Oak," the man said thoughtfully.

"What's it to you? And _were you spying on us_?" the brunet retorted. "And what's with 'mister,' huh?"

The man ignored him. "And you…" His intelligent, sharp eyes studied Leaf. Said girl shrunk under his gaze. They were indeed strange eyes. "You have grown Leaf Green."

"Yeah, a funny habit, huh?" Leaf attempted to adopt Gary's fierceness.

The man toothily grinned, and Leaf stepped back, shaking like her namesake in the winter breeze. She did not like his smile, or that smirk that flashed momentarily across his face. "Come with me—both of you," he coaxed, "Professor Oak sent me." Leaf violently shook. His voice smelled of lies. And so it was.

His hand whipped out like a flash, aiming directly for the brunette.

Leaf yelped, an arm wound itself around her petite waist, and she was flung towards the ground...but not exactly. Leaf's breath hitched; falling on top of Gary Oak was not number one on her list of things to do. Actually, it was no where on the list at all. Their eyes met for a moment, and Leaf reconized something-an inquiry of a grudging, temporary alliance.

Leaf accepted.

"WATER GUN, SQUIRTLE!" Gary shouted.

The Kanto native Pokemon leapt into action, moving faster than Leaf anticipated, and the high-pressured burst of water knocked the man onto the ground and he dissolved into a sputtering barrage of coughing. "You foul little beast!" their perpetrator gasped, and Gary smirked.

"Serves you right, loser." Gary swiveled his head toward the giggling water-type."Squirtle! Hurry up!" Gary yelled, and the water-type pokemon obediently hopped to Gary's side.

Deciding to play it safe, Leaf called, "Charmander, Smoke Screen!"

Smoke blossomed like a black blood-clot, lightening flickered and obliterated a tree to fire, then ashes. The heavens opened, and it poured.

It was as if Zapdos himself visited Pallet Town that day.

* * *

They took cover under a tree.

Huddling for warmth, Leaf cuddled next to Charmander, who looked particularly unhappy at the change of weather. He was cradling his tail, and its flame responded negatively to the water and cold. And when the whistle pierced the air, they remained where they were.

Leaf noticed Gary shivering. He was in nothing but a tee-shirt and shorts, despite the autumn month. Certainly, if she herself was cold, Gary must be _freezing_. "Here," she said, thrusting her windbreaker to him.

Gary scowled. "I don't want it," he said grumpily. "Besides, you need it more than I do. You're a girl."

"Lies..." Leaf said.

Gary cracked a smile.

It was so strange, so genuine, it caught Leaf off-guard.

Even more so when he put the offered clothing on.

* * *

Thunder rumbled overhead, and the air crackled with humidity. Once again, Leaf's small hand was tightly enveloped within Amanda's. Professor Oak offered a bright red umbrella to the elderly woman, who gratefully accepted.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay the night?" Professor Oak said worriedly, looking at the dark sky. "It would be no trouble at all."

"Nonsense," Amannda said frostily, and gave Leaf the eye. "It's just a short walk."

"Of course." Professor Oak nodded, and waved. "It was nice seeing you again, Amanda, Leaf."

Amanda and Leaf reprociated, and then they were walking along the road, again, this time, as fast as their feet would carry them.

As they turned the bend in the road, Leaf shot another look back at the Oak household, and brightened when she spotted Gary at the window, who was waving and mouthing, 'see you tomorrow.'

Leaf beamed, and waved back, to let him know she had seen him, because she _would_ see him tomorrow.

It begun raining again, the moment Leaf and Amanda took cover on the gabled porch.

"What strange weather," remarked Amanda, momentarily forgetting her previous anger, and instead staring out into the pouring outsides.

Leaf mimicked her. "It's as if…the rain's trying to wash everything away."

Amanda blinked. "Perhaps," she said crisply, remembering everything-Gary and Leaf's frightening disappearance when they didn't come home to the response of the whistle, the lightening, the fear-and then herded Leaf inside.

The elderly woman leaned against the side of the door. She suddenly wondered if Henry was all right. With the oncoming and erratic storms and all. Her stomach gnawing with sudden anxiety, Amanda turned to slip inside the house, when she saw him. It had begun pouring again, to her bewilderment. Water pounded against the roof, and through its veil, she spotted a human silhouette, face turned toward her home. He stood there, unwavering.

Through the water, the darkness, their eyes met.

He gave a curt nod.

She slammed the door close with such ferocity, it caused Leaf to stumble downstairs, head cocked to the side.

But Amanda wasn't able to provide an answer.

* * *

a/n - Thank you for the reviews/follows! :)

Ready to fly: Ahhh, thankyouthankyouthankyou. :) For reviewing Don't Look Back and a few other one of my oneshots. Made my day, gurrlll. (if you're a boy, I'm deeply sorry. :p) Okay, for real, i am. really. Oh, if you require explanations...well..I'm happy to explain :)

Okay, another note. I've actually never written a Leafgreen/Oldrival fic, before, so I'd appreciate if one tells me if one of the characters are being OCC. (Well, except for Leaf. Leaf's a player character so, y'know...

Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated as well.


	3. Tension

_Tension_

* * *

The daily traffic rush of Saffron City streams around him, and the stench of gasoline, fried food, and neglect reaches his nostrils. Gary winces. He loathes Saffron. Especially the slums.

"Fine city you got here, gym leader," he murmurs, and his lips pulls into a lopsided smirk.

_Oak…if you value your life, I sugg—_

"It's getting old."

_What_?

"Your greeting," says Gary impatiently, trying not to breath through his nose. "Now where the hell are you? It _stinks_ out here."

_Behind you_.

Gary spins around, and she meets his gaze squarely. She is dressed as usual: in a crimson blouse adorned with large golden buttons and black leggings underneath. Her feet are clad in boots that run up her thigh.

Sabrina Natsume.

Her dark eyes are smoldering and her lips are contorted into a hungry smile. _You clearly hate Saffron. You must want something from me. Answers, I presume?_

"Nailed it."

_Thought so. _Her face contorts into something melancholy-miserable, almost. The Gym Leader's hand tugs at thin air, and a pokeball materializes. Gary is mildly intrigued, and watches Sabrina's hand flick open the catch, and there's a flash of crimson light. A Haunter materializes, and it laughs, the sound bordering the line to a cackle. The pokemon pulls at her hair, makes absurd faces, and turns Sabrina's face green, until she smiles. Sabrina's smile is breathtaking really, Gary has to admit. But maybe it's because she does it so rarely.

_That's what they always want. _Her thought is so, so soft, but it hurts so, so much.

Because he knows.

* * *

They had talked it over.

Millions of times.

Their aspirations of being a Pokemon Master when they were older.

Sometimes Ash would join them, sometimes he wouldn't. Gary, personally, didn't really like the raven-haired weirdo, and never wasted a moment patronizing him. Unfortunately, Leaf _adored_ him.

Ash Ketchum and his mother, Delia, moved to Pallet Town during the early spring months—when winter was still winter, but sometimes, one could spot the sprucing grass, and feel small traces of warming sun.

Later, Leaf said Ash's appearance into their life represented rebirth and change in life. "A good change," she had said strongly.

Gary had told her she was being an idiot. "A bad change," he had insisted strongly as she.

Leaf didn't listen to him. And neither did he listen to her.

And the entrance of Ash into Leaf and Gary's lives began like this:

When the white—but dirtied—moving truck rumbled into Pallet Town, its occupants were curious. No one had settled into their rural town for quite a while, and everyone, of course, began speculating. It was also rare for someone to find a neighbor moving out of Pallet Town. Everyone who visited found the settlement terribly quaint.

Leaf was so excited at the prospect of a new neighbor, even before she even _met_ Ash, Gary recalled.

"I wonder who's moving in?" said Leaf for the hundredth time. "I mean not many people live here."

Gary responded to that with an eye roll.

"Gary!" Leaf whined, punching his shoulder (lightly, she never really did like to hurt him). "You know what I mean!"

"I don't," he assured, and grinned, when Leaf stomped off.

Ironically, after that conversation, Leaf met Ash.

Gary had lazily picked himself up from his bed, and sauntered past his window (to grab a snack from the kitchen) and was bewildered, when he saw Leaf talking to a boy. Firstly, it was because there was a certain shortage of boys their age in Pallet Town. Then, it dawned on him that he could be a friend or something of their new neighbors. The first impression of him was that he had black hair, and was bouncing up and down like a Spoink.

Naturally, Gary was curious. Other than ones from school, boys his age were scarce. He considered his choices. Stay, or leave.

Curiosity won, and Gary stampeded down the stairs.

The first sound he heard was giggling. Instantly, irritation overcame him. _What kind of boy _giggles_?_ Gary remembered thinking. Apparently, this one did.

"Hi!" The raven-haired boy waved wildly. "Who're you?"

"That's my friend, Gary Oak," Leaf introduced, and Gary nodded in Ash's direction.

"I'm Ash! And I'm going to be a Pokemon Master!"

"Whatever," Gary had said, and Ash pouted. Pokemon Master wasn't a "whatever," but that was what _Gary_ was going to be when he grew up.

Leaf must have taken this exchange as some sort of male-bonding thing, and decided that Ash and Gary would come and play at her house. The brunet was decisively unhappy about this. He grew in an even darker mood when they met Amanda on the front porch.

Amanda was ecstatic at the thought of a possible new friend for Leaf. Ash and Gary were boys, for that matter, but she was willing to ignore the fact that Leaf was in desperate need of a female companion.

For now.

"So, Ash, which starter are you going to choose?" Leaf had inquired, face bright.

"Ohh… I dunno… I mean, they're all so cool, ya know?"

Leaf nodded enthusiastically.

Gary snorted, and pulled Leaf's pillow over his head. It was nice and warm under the felt material. And it smelled a bit like Leaf, which was a bit of a no-brainer. It _was_ her pillow.

"But, I am thinking about Squirtle, though…"

The world came crashing down. _Squirtle_?! Squirtle was going to be _his_ starter. Gary bristled at this.

"Who're you going to choose, Leaf—Gary?" Ash asked. He seemed blissfully unaware of the ticked male beside him.

"Charm—"

Retreating from the depths of the cushion, Gary lifted his head, and said stonily, "_Squirtle_."

"Gary!" chastised Leaf. She discreetly pinched him on the ankle. Said Gary didn't wince.

"I'm thinking about Bulbasaur, too," Ash added thoughtfully.

"I've got to go." The raven-haired boy was proving strenuously difficult to hate. But that didn't mean Gary had to treat Ash nicely. "Bye, Leaf…_Ash_."

Leaf didn't say anything. She was peering curiously at Gary's back, wondering what had set him off.

"Bye, Gary! It was nice meeting ya!"

**. . .**

Nine-year-old Ash Ketchum found Pallet Town wonderful. There was plenty of room for a little boy to harness his excess energy, and it was an added bonus when he befriended Leaf and Gary. But what he found tremendously exciting was Professor Oak's Pokemon Lab.

"Professor?" Ash asked one day as he peered wondrously at a blue reptile-like Pokemon at a comfortable distance. "What's that Pokemon? I never seen it before."

"Why Ash, this is a Mudkip. You see, this little guy is native to the Hoenn region," the professor kindly explained. "A trainer recently decided to leave Mudkip with me for a while."

"That's so cool!" Ash's hazel-brown eyes lit up like the nightly appearance of stars. The raven-haired boy offered a hand to the Pokemon, and he said earnestly, "Hiya, Mudkip! I'm Ash, and I hope we can be buddies!"

The reptilian Pokemon sniffed Ash's hand warily, but slowly padded over, and with each step, the boy's grin widened. A soft smile graced Professor Oak's face before he walked back inside the lab, mumbling about excessive paperwork.

"Y'know," Ash begun absentmindedly as he petted Mudkip's head, "I wonder what type of Pokemon you are... Professor Oak didn't say..."

"I'll show you, Ashy Boy!" Gary suddenly rounded the corner, and he sauntered toward the pair; he plopped himself onto the ground, crossing his legs. He grinned, exposing a set of white pearly teeth, and Ash beamed back with abandon, ignorant to the mischievous glimmer in Gary's eyes.

"Really?!" Ash adored demonstrations. Especially if it included battling. But Professor Oak had banned such practice after a Beedrill nearly took Leaf's eye out.

"You have to stay very still..." Gary cautioned. "And whatever you do, _don't move_. Got it?"

"You got it," Ash said, attempting to be somber, but his jiggling legs gave away his excitement.

Gary backpedaled to a safe distance, and Mudkip blinked, interested, in the brunet's direction.

"Mudkip, use Water Gun on Ashy Boy!"

**. . .**

"You're so mean, Gary," Ash grumbled, wringing his soaked T-shirt. The raven-haired youth shook his head like a dog, and water splattered off in the form of droplets.

"Nah, you're just a weenie." Gary hardly looked apologetic, but Leaf was furious. The brunette was stomping around giving Gary the stink eye, which he oh-so carelessly ignored. Well, he attempted too. It never felt quite right with him when Leaf was mad at him (which was happening more frequently). It also never sat well with him when Leaf defended Ash...

"Gary," she chastised, "Ash could've gotten really hurt!"

The prankster rolled his eyes. "It's only water... Geez...you're acting like I set Ashy Boy on fire."

"You've might as well!"

Finally disgusted, Gary sprung up from his seat. "Why're you so protective of him, Green?! Damn, its like you have a crush on him or something!"

Leaf's face flared, either to anger or embarrassment. "You know it's not like that!" she retorted. "_You purposely _attacked_ him with a Pokemon_! You could've gotten banned from being a trainer!"

"Attacked?!" Gary scoffed, and suddenly his angry face was so, so close to Leaf's. She jerked her head back, equally disgusted. _Was this the same guy who she's friends with?_ "It was a joke, Leaf. Can't you take a _joke_?"

"Guys..._really_, it's all right..." Ash looked deathly scared, and his hazel-eyes widened at the situation he indirectly caused.

Simultaneously, Leaf and Gary flung their heads to a meek Ash Ketchum and roared, "YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!"

Unable to handle a furious Leaf and an equally furious Gary, Ash called for Professor Oak-who couldn't handle the pair's rage-who called for Henry-and when _he_ couldn't handle the anger and bursts of physical violence-he called for _Amanda_.

Leaf and Gary never had shut up so fast.

**. . .**

The date was June 15, 1998.

It was the day Leaf, Ash, and Gary were to receive their starters and journey across Kanto in pursuit of the badges needed to apply for the Indigo Plateau Conference. Naturally, Leaf woke up early to beeping of her alarm clock. Reaching across to her bedside table, the brunette pressed a button. The insistent noise shut off, and Leaf burrowed back into her bed. It would be a long time until she slept on the cushioned piece of furniture again.

Leaf wriggled out of bed, brushed her teeth, washed her face, and preformed her regular morning duties in a methodical fashion. When Leaf slipped into her seat in the dining room, still not quite believing she was actually _leaving_, a plate of chocolate-chip pancakes slid across the table with a generous amount of bacon.

"Good morning, Leaf," said Amanda tersely, her eyes beginning to mist. She set down a glass of juice beside Leaf's plate.

"Thanks..." said Leaf.

"Your mother and father would be so proud," Henry inputted. His face was behind a newspaper, which Leaf knew he was only pretending to read. Henry always wore his glasses when reading. Today, the bridge of his nose was clear.

The brunette made a face. She should be officially receiving Charmander right now! Or something! Not doing something so commonplace as eating breakfast.

Amanda poked a finger at Leaf's untouched food. "Eat," she said. "You'll find that trainer-issued food isn't as tasty or nutritious as food back home."

Personally, Leaf was looking forward to the beef jerky, dried fruit, or whatever they sold at the Poke Mart for trainers. But she ate, savoring her last bites of home for months to come.

**. . .**

Leaf's legs bounced like a jackhammer. Giddiness overcame her like waves lapping the shoreline. It was really happening! Leaf pulled up her calf-high sky-blue socks, and then her boots. Adjusting the brim of her hat, Leaf beamed.

"Cheese!"

Stars winked in and out, and Leaf groaned. She scrubbed her eyes. "Grandma!"

"I couldn't help it, dear. It's not every day when our favorite granddaughter happens to be going her very first journey!"

"That's for sure." Leaf turned so fast that she felt her spine crack.

"Gary!" Leaf glomped the youth, and the pair toppled off the porch in a tangle of arms and legs. Leaf's hat had precariously floated out of reach. Amanda and Henry exchanged small smiles.

"Get off me, you fat Snorlax…" Gary groaned, but Leaf witnessed a smile flicker across his face.

"I'm not fat or a Snorlax," Leaf said, beaming. She offered Gary a hand, and he took it. She heaved him up to his feet. "By the way, that was totally redundant."

"Do I look like I care?"

As Leaf mounted the stairs for her hat, Amanda interjected, "Why don't you two take a picture together? It's not the every day o—"

"Yeah, I think we get it," Leaf said, still smiling, but obediently posed, slinging an arm around Gary's shoulder, and holding out the "peace" sign. Gary initially made a face, but barred his teeth, looking particularly uncomfortable.

"How cute!" Amanda squealed, snapping. "You two look adorable."

Henry poked his head out of the doorway. "I daresay that's what Gary and Leaf are aiming for," he mumbled, and Amanda playfully swatted his head.

"Shush, you," she said, and Henry retreated.

Leaf and Gary exchanged smothered smirks.

"Well, anyways, see you at the lab. I stopped by to see if you were awake."

"How could I oversleep on a day like this?" she called after him.

Her friend's face split into a sardonic smirk before sauntering away. "You'd be surprised."

Leaf scratched her head, puzzled, before pulling her hat over her hair. "Ah, well…" She turned to Amanda. "Can you grab my backpack for me, please? I already have my shoes on." Leaf lifted her boot-clad foot to emphasize her point.

Amanda gave her a smile, and disappeared into the house. She reappeared holding out Leaf's yellow backpack. Leaf shouldered it, and waved. "Well, see you guys later!"

Amanda hugged her wordlessly, and Leaf sighed and whispered, "Bye, grandma."

"Bye, Leaf."

"Hold it!" Henry had reappeared, grinning broadly. He swept Leaf up into a hug. "I've got the last hug," he crowed, and Amanda heaved out an exasperated sigh. When the senior pulled away, Leaf frowned. There was an unfamiliar lump in the pocket of her jacket.

Bewildered, Leaf slid her hand inside, the material unfamiliar to her synapses. Her eyes widened at the feel of something _hard_.

"Is this…for me?" It seemed as if it was custom-made for her use. Colors that were common for Pokegears were red, pink, or blue. Leaf's device was a soft viridian green. She rubbed a finger over its smooth screen, and grinned.

"Our numbers are installed," Amanda explained. "In case you need us."

"Of course!"

The grandparents grinned. "Have fun, Leaf!"

Thus was Leaf Green's first leg into her journey. With the morning sun barely peeking over the edge of the horizon, and the crisp, pine-induced wind blowing, the brunette began to run.

**. . .**

Christmas was a time dedicated to cheer and family, and Leaf Green's face broke out into an ecstatic grin at the thought of the annual celebration. Because after approximately six months on the constant road, she was finally home!

Leaf's nostrils quivered at the scent of sweet pines and the clean atmosphere. Her travels had taken her everywhere, really, and some places were places that she never wanted to visit again.

"Grandma, grandpa! I'm home!" Leaf bounded up the stairs and rapped on the door, expecting to hear an automatic response. They knew she was coming home today. She frowned, had they gotten the date wrong? Had they forgotten? Were they in the lab with Professor Oak? At the Ketchum residence with Dehlia? Questions, one by one, bubbled and popped.

Leaf stepped away from the door, deciding to check whether if not her grandparents were at Pokemon lab.

"Hey."

Automatically, Leaf's eyes narrowed. There was something especially surreptitious of a male in a long, dark trench coat, and a cap shadowing his hair and eyes. There wasn't any crime in Pallet, but this..._man_, well he wasn't a resident of Leaf's hometown.

"What do you want?"

A small grin. "No need to be so hostile. I just need you to deliver something..." A hand reached inside the pocket of his coat, and produced a familiar hat.

"T-that's..." Leaf sputtered, eyes wide, "that's _Ash's_ hat! Where did you get it?"

"Ash, huh?" The man shoved his hands into his pockets. He looked horribly bitter. "Well, the kid was running around the outskirts of Pallet, and he dropped it. Before I could give it back to him... _Whoosh_." He snapped his fingers. "Gone in like a whirlwind. Never seen a kid as hyper as him in a while."

"Oh, well thanks..." Leaf took the offered head accessory into her hand. "What's your name? Because, well, I know Ash would like to know."

"Personal information, thanks."

"Ohh... Um..."

"Yeah, see you around, kid. By the way, your grandparents are at the Ketchum's."

"You know them?" Leaf asked, feeling surprised.

"Used too." He turned to leave, but said something that simply through Leaf in for the loop, another reason to recite the incident to her grandparents. But she didn't, because the small, helpless look on his face was so _tired_. "Do me a favor? Don't tell anyone about me. It'll only cause hope. And well, _hope_. Let's not get started on hope, shall we?"

**. . .**

Leaf set the table, admiring the glimmering silverware. Usually, Christmas was a quiet, but merry celebration amongst the Greens, Ketchums, and the Oaks. But this year, Samuel Oak had an idea that everyone was attracted to, some form or another. He offered the suggestion of a Christmas party.

"Bring in the chicken, Leaf!" Amanda called from the dining table. She, Mrs. Ketchum, Mr. Mime, as well as a few other women were tag-teaming dinner. The men-folk were discussing politics, pokemon, and their children in the living room.

Leaf threaded herself through the thongs of people, confusion in her movements, keeping a stubborn hands on the platter. Where had all these people come from? These girls? Had Amanda invited them for Leaf to make friends with? The notion heavily disagreed with her, because Leaf Green was perfectly satisfied with her small social bubble. Anyways, clearly, the amount of partygoers exceeded the occupants of Pallet Town. After dutifully placing roasted chicken on the buffet table, the brunette allowed her feet to wander. She wasn't a fan of direct conversation with strangers; and with Ash occupied sneaking food off the platters-now accompanied by his ever-present pokeball-loathing Pikachu-and her grandparents conversing, the only option left was Gary.

Frankly, she didn't feel like talking to the spiky-haired youth. He had grown...rather strange during his travels. Increasingly insulting, critical, and arrogant. Whenever they happened to meet, Gary was always accompanied by his cheer team, which Leaf found perfectly idiotic. Unfortunately, Leaf never happened upon the only decent member of their little trio. She and Ash had talked a bit before the party, and it was enough to catch his gist. The raven-haired boy was traveling with two gym-associated teens and was apparently having a ball. One was Misty Waterflower, and the other, Brock Takeshi. Leaf had fought against Brock for the Boulder Badge and he was well...tough as rock. Misty, however, Leaf had never heard of, but Ash claimed that she had a kinship with the Sensational Sisters.

Leaf had rolled her eyes at that one.

She had battled Violet, which was ridiculously easy. The so-called gym leader practically thrust the badge into Leaf's face after the first move.

"Gary!" Leaf waved-albeit hesitantly-to the aforementioned youth. He looked rather bored, and was standing absentmindedly, sipping from a plastic cup every now and then.

His dark eyes lit up momentarily, and they stood side-by-side, companionable silence between them.

"Where did all these people come from?" Leaf finally said, blinking. She wasn't really expecting to hear a straightforward answer, nor was she expecting Gary to even _know_.

She was mildly surprised when he did.

Gary shot her a smile that Leaf felt uncomfortable with. She squirmed. "They're my friends."

"Your..._friends_?" Leaf paused. "All of them?"

"Yup." The brunet shrugged nonchalantly. "See the girl in the red dress? That's Hannah...or Holly...whatever. Anyways, I met her a few days ago in Cerulean."

"A few days ago," Leaf echoed, bewildered, "then you barely know her! And you invited her?"

"So? She's hot, so...why not?"

Leaf was speechless, and felt the urge to slap some sense into the moron. Mouth barely moving, Leaf coughed out, "...Are you...are you...um...turning into a _player_?!"

Gary turned at her, annoyance etched on his face. "Look, kid. _Three things_. Firstly, _I am not a player_. Secondly, how the heck are you even aware of that term? Thirdly, did it ever occur that all this was for you?"

"Me?" Leaf bit out, now outraged. "How was all-" Leaf swept her hand toward the chattering mass. "-this for _me_?! I say it was all for _yourself_. And since when am I a _kid_?"

"Well," Gary began hotly, "everyone knows how big of a loner you are! You only have two friends: _me _and _Ashy Boy_."

"That is so not true," retorted Leaf, but felt as if she was slapped. It _was_ true, but there was no way she was going to let Gary Oak see her cry.

"It is, and you know it! Even Amanda and Henry are worrying about you! 'Henry-" Gary pitched his voice higher, "'-I worry about Leaf. _What happens when_-'"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! _SHUT UP_!" Leaf half-expected the party to go to a stand-still, but found herself outside, where flurries of snow were dotting their heads. Had Gary subtly steered them outside to avoid attention? Heat rushed to her face. _What a Garyish thing to do, _she thought_. _A sudden turbulent of wind blew their way, and Leaf breathed in deeply, trying to sooth herself. It didn't work, and Leaf focused her eyes to the trees that were blanketed in white. Maybe, if she wasn't _so hot_, or so _angry_ at Gary, she could appreciate the scenery. But she was still furious at Gary, and _why was it so hot_?! It was _snowing_ for Arceus's sake!

"Fine. Whatever," Gary dismissed with a wave of his hand. "I'm done with this conversation." And in the lapse of a few seconds, Gary mounted the stairs, and without turning back, opened the door and strode back inside. The rush of the party closed with him, and Leaf was left in muted silence, still feeling terribly hot and angry. She tugged at her sweater, and felt a sudden urge to pull it off. Then, she remembered it was _winter_ and it was _snowing_.

Sighing, Leaf made herself home on the porch steps and cradled her head in her hands. _What a jerk_, she fumed inwardly, but her anger now felt rather muted. _He better apologize_...

* * *

Leaf gasps once her head pops up to the surface. The surrounding water shivers with her, and she gives a groan. Oh, how she _hates_ water.

"What did you see?" he asks behind the bathroom curtain, tense with anxiety.

"The past," is all she says and her hand furiously gropes for the plug. The water is silky, and her pruned fingers brush upon the metal knob.

With a mighty tug, the water slips away with a small gurgle.

* * *

a/n: asdjfalsdkfj ohmygoodness...finally! I've been having particular trouble with this chapter. But I updated...so that's what counts, right?! and yes! finally, we're going into the present! like...next chapter! and did you catch that?! Gary purposely didn't wake up Ash! ahahahaa. x)

and no. just _**no**_. the guy behind the bathroom curtain is _not_ a peeking tom. so get your minds out of the gutter, guys. xD and no. in this story, the characters are _not_ eating pokemon. because that would be seriously messed up, man. xp

btw, thanks for all the feedback/faves/etc. :) ps: I'm so glad you guys think that Gary is properly justified in the previous chap.

review because its going to make me smile.

(and smiling is good)


	4. An Absence

___An Absence _

* * *

"Hey, Amanda!" Ash Ketchum cradled the receiver in one hand, and balanced a cheerful Pikachu on the other. He grinned, a familiar face that represented of home was always welcome, however it faltered when the raven-haired boy noticed Amanda's despairing expression.

"Have you seen Leaf lately?" the elderly woman pressed, without saying hello.

Taken aback, Ash replied, "Um... I haven't seen her around ever since Christmas. Huh? That's funny...Leaf's not to type to slack off on something like that..."

"Exactly," Amanda said. "We haven't heard from her for so long..."

Ash was quick to tame Amanda's uncertainties. "Ahh! Don't ya worry about it, Amanda! Leaf has reliable pokemon on her side! I've seen Chara-I mean Charmeleon's eyes! He'll stick with her forever, and y'know, that guy can sure pack a punch. And besides, Leaf _always_ comes back."

"I see."

"Uh huh...uh huh... Take care!" After hanging up, a concerned frown plastered across his face, something he didn't allow Amanda to see. It remained there for the rest of the day, only pausing to deepen when the preteen attempted to contact Leaf, via Pokegear.

She never picked up.

**. . .**

"Gary." A knock sounded, and the said boy blearily lifted his head from his bed.

"What?" he said, coming more snappish than he originally intended to be.

"It's time for dinner."

"I'm not hungry."

"You have to eat."

They conversed with no life, words melting into each other like a sick goo. Professor Oak was tired; the occurrence reminded him too much of his deceased son and wife. Years of restraining memories and a day of opening the particular can of worms had left him exhausted. Because he was an old, old man, and Gary never realized this until she never came home.

**. . .**

"_I have to go home_!" Leaf said this so frantically, so pitifully, that he was tempted to jam the ring on her finger, wipe her memories clean, and send her way to Pallet Town.

He hesitated; the girl's face was too pale, her eyes too teary and green. But he knew what needed to be said. And he spoke carefully, as if treading on thin ice: "I apologize, Leaf, but I'm afraid right now, it's impossible." However, it didn't lessen the blow, or the icy water of pure helplessness that pumped further through the girl's veins.

* * *

Five years.

They're lost years which Amanda can't remember anything but sitting on the porch swing, waiting. This's what she done to keep busy: sit on the porch swing and sew. Sew, sew, sew. It's a methodical exercise, but it keeps her tied to her sanity. The grief of losing him, then her, her only granddaughter, nearly sent Amanda spiraling into depression. But Henry had snapped her out of it. He always does. Amanda humors the idea of what might happen if he disappeared, too.

Then the old woman wonders what went wrong, as she always does. Leaf, even after five years, is unforgettable. She would be sixteen now, Amanda thinks. Did Leaf runaway? Doubtful. Was she kidnapped? An idiotic notion. She's seen Leaf's pokemon; they're all fearsomely protective of her. Spirited away? Not so far off, Amanda muses, wondering why it never fully occurred to her. Her Will was taken from her like that, a long, long time ago. He returned dead.

Amanda scowls. She should have never...never allowed that wench near her son. A yawn escapes, Amanda feels her eyelids droop. Old age, she muses, placing her sewing needle down. Even if she sits in one place and mends clothes, fatigue always catches up...

Reality darkens, and Amanda feels herself drifting away in what she can only remember as the past...

Amanda first sees the flighty girl with the auburn hair talk with Will when they were about nine. She found it amusing, because Will never laughs or smiles like that. He looked nervous, too, and two splotches of pink highlighted his cheeks. The girl didn't notice it though. They eventually waved goodbye, and the girl bounded away toward the thick forest behind the Oak's property. Amanda raised an eyebrow at this, because a forest in the dark hours was nowhere a little girl should be.

The door flew open, and Will walked inside. He hung his coat, and started to walk upstairs, when Amanda said, "Who's that girl?"

"Ohh...um, nobody." Will stared at the ground, and his blush darkened.

"Where does she live?" Amanda pressed.

"...Around."

"_Around_," she echoed. Amanda's hands gravitated to her hips. "Does she happen to live in the forest?"

"How'd you..." Something along the lines of panic flashed across Will's face, but then suddenly tamed when he came to a realization. "You saw her leave, didn't you," he said, almost accusatory.

"You should've invited her in. A forest at this hour is nowhere a little girl should be," Amanda chastised, and an eyebrow arched when her son began to laugh.

"That's what I always say," Will said, once he composed himself. A secret smile curves across his lips. "But she always says no..."

She wakes with a start. A breeze is nipping at her neck, and Amanda gathers her sewing materials into a basket. That long ago day...

Frankly, Amanda despises her dreams, (they're just figments of the imagination and helpless wishing) but she can't help but long for them. Because that is the only place where she can see him-Will.

(Oh, how she misses him.)

* * *

Gary's dream of Pokemon Master has vanished within time. Yes, he's been constantly told that he has the skill, the strength, the will, but he's simply given up. He turns to Pokemon Researching. Of course, Pokemon Researching is a tricky branch of business. Since there's so much to discover and learn, Gary has to choose a twig of expertise. For example, Professor Rowan of Sinnoh has been studying Pokemon evolution for half of his lifetime, and still (still!) he believes he is nowhere close to the answer.

An improbable dream. Gary sometimes wonder if that's what draws him to this particular career.

"WHAT ARE _YOU_ DOING HERE?! GET OUT, GET OUT, _GET OUT_!" A ragged scream assaults Gary's ears, and he winces. _Gramps_, Gary grouches, _you owe me big time_. Because really, Gary was enjoying a relaxing day. He had wrapped up his latest report, (which had been an immense hassle, due to an incomprehensible Sabrina Natsume) and sent it to Professor Rowen for proofreading. But then Professor Oak happened. His grandfather had called, and Gary had answered. Gary's wishing he hadn't.

_"You want me to check out Jirachi's mountain?" The indents of the pencil slighted into Gary's skin. "A bit late, don't you think? Jirachi's been dormant for years, ever since Ashy Boy happened." He cocked an eyebrow, suddenly suspicious. The brunet had gone without interregional news for a few weeks, (he was traveling by foot through a large, extensive forest without modern conveniences) and it wouldn't be a far off if someone had attempted to wake the legendary pokemon. It had happened many times before. All who tried perished, unable to withstand the tidal waves of power that emanated from the seemingly harmless pokemon. "Don't tell me some idiots tried awakening it."_

_"Nothing of the sort. I met a strange young man recently…was it in Unova?" Professor Oak scratches his head, musing. "And we starting talking, and eventually, the conversation came to Johto, then to Jirachi. He told me something that sounds rather fascinating. He was passing Jirachi's mountain, and out of nowhere a hallucination came to him so vivid, that he actually mistaken it to be reality. He's very much convinced that it has to do with Jirachi…" Professor Oak's eyes twinkled. "And you may question what occurred in our friend's hallucination? It was his greatest wish." _

_Gary frowned, still unconvinced. "I've never heard anything like it."_

_A wry, timeless smile crossed his grandfather's face. "I have," he said, before launching into lecture that would pertain to the assignment. "Oh," he added once he's done. Professor Oak dropped the bomb with a pitying expression. "Did I mention you'll have to visit Cecelia?"_

And thus is the reason why Gary Oak is here at Cecelia's (where it is currently raining pottery)-the strange, old spinster who has taken up residence near Jirachi's Mountain. With zero charisma and charm to rival a slug, certain expectations for visitors (actually, she prefers that visitors don't visit at all), and an extreme dislike for researchers or professors of any sort, Gary nimbly dodges what would've been death to his head. A crude ceramic bowl shatters against the wall behind him, and Gary curses. In the duration of the shattering, a shard has cut his hand. He inspects a sliver of blood on his hand, and gauges the severity of the cut.

"Look at what you made me do, brat," Cecelia accuses, once she's certain that he won't leave. She pats down her wild cloud of magenta hair. "I'll have to clean all of this."

Gary simply rolls his eyes. "Right," he says, and turns to her sink. It stinks of decomposing food and unwashed silverware, but the water that runs through the pipes are clean. As the water washes away his blood, Gary says, "I'm here on an assignment."

"_Of course_, you are." She scowled, her sharp gray eyes furious. "You always are."

"Not really."

"Don't patronize me, boy."

"Sure." After years of getting to knowing Cecelia, Gary has perfected the art of managing a conversation with the woman. He knows she can't tolerate his presence, but he can wheedle her for information. Unfortunately, Cecelia _can't stand_ Professor Oak, (even more so than Gary), so he couldn't come visit the madwoman. "I want to know about those hallucinations Jirachi causes."

"Bah, mysterious business... Sit down, brat! I can't think with you making figure eights around me." Gary plunks himself down on a weary armchair with an inaudible snort and produces a notebook and a pencil from his traveling backpack. Gary has barely flipped open the first page when she says, "You are aware that in Jirachi's awakened state, it can grant wishes?"

"Yup."

"I believe it's also possible in its dormant state."

"_What_?"

"Shut up. Don't you dare start blathering on me, because I'm not done just yet. Got it?" Gary nods, albeit a bit lazily. "Due to its unconsciousness, the wishes are rather granted through dreams, hallucinations, whatnot. Any state of unconsciousness, because fittingly, _Jirachi_ is asleep. And you may ask this wise, wonderful, _youthful_ woman, like all stupid nuisances like you, how is this possible?" Cecelia leans forward, her gray eyes smothering. "It is because of _desire_, ignorant brat."

"Uh huh..."

She ignores him. "Desire is what pushes a living being to wish. A wish, so pure, so powerful that it reaches and touches Jirachi's heart. Now that is something to be reckoned with." Cecelia straightens herself, and begins hobbling away to another room.

Gary takes it as a sign that their (short) conversation is finished. "That's the answer?" he calls behind her back. "Strong desire?"

"Do I have to repeat myself, too? You're almost as bad as your grandfather. Of course it is, you nitwit."

"What about statistics? Science?" Gary knows he's pushing it, but well, a guy can hope, right? (Cecelia has no tolerance, _whatsoever_, when science is concerned.)

"_Science_?" Cecelia begins to chortle wildly and slaps her knees. Gary's eye twitches. "If your old man wanted "science," he would know better than to come to _me_."

That's Cecelia's way of saying that she doesn't have a clue.

* * *

The brunet leaves Cecelia's house straightaway after that. Because firstly, Cecelia began throwing pottery again, and secondly, he wishes to experience the hallucinations first-hand. Still, he doesn't quite believe (Gary has always been skeptical). So, he wheedles thirteen-year-old Millard into it, Cecelia's one and only intern (Gary always wonders just _what_ Millard's being taught).

"Let's run," Millard says. "The faster you finish up your "research," the faster I go back to sleep." He makes air quotes around the word "research," and Gary lifts an eyebrow at it. The sallow boy has always been relatively neutral whenever Pokemon Research is concerned, but after years with living with Cecelia, Gary wonders just how much the boy and the old hag are alike.

"You're _always_ asleep."

"Duh."

Gary snorts. But he doesn't want to stay in Millard's company any longer than he should, and takes up a jog, his backpack bouncing on his back like a second, abnormal heartbeat.

"We're...almost...there..." Over time, the jogging has caused Millard to adapt the expression of a drowning Basculin.

"What's there?"

"A few rocks...some trees..."

"You're a real laugh."

"...a bit of Jirachi's dream waves." Pale and pasty, with his dark bangs sticking to his forehead, sympathy worms into Gary's heart. He wordlessly offers his water bottle, and Millard drinks it greedily.

The boy then tells Gary to lay on the ground. When the brunet asks for an explanation, he rolls his shoulders and says, "You don't want to hit your head."

Gary shrugs off his backpack, and he lies on the ground, as if to go to sleep. Out of the corner of his vision he watches Millard as he calls out a Hypno from its pokeball. He's commands the pokemon to place a Hypnosis on him. Due to Hypnosis's special effects, Gary's eyes droop to a close, and his body relaxes. Inevitably, he attempts to fight it. But eventually he succumbs, and allows the pokemon to force him into a deep sleep.

Millard returns Hypno to its pokeball, murmuring a word of gratitude. There's nothing else to do but wait, and Millard sits down, little ways from the slumbering brunet. His expression is creased but...huh? He snorts, what a stupid smile that's plastered onto his face...

Into five minutes of Gary's Hypno-induced sleep, Millard quivers, because he can feel the sudden shift of Jirachi's powers. The pokemon's dream has taken an unexpected turn, and immediately, his attention is immediately drawn to the slumbering brunet besides him. From his boot, Millard produces a switchblade. He flicks the knife open, and plucks Chesto berries from the nearby greenery. He cuts into the berry's flesh one by one, something, a gut-feeling, really, telling him that Gary's not going to be awakened easily.

* * *

"Wake up..." Something blunt collides against Gary's scalp, and he moans. _Where am I_? His eyelids crack open blearily; all he sees is greengreen_green_, and something black hurtling toward him with exaggerated slowness. He catches it reflexively with a hand and pushes it away with all his strength. A shoe, he realizes, a foot.

"Get up! We don't have all day!" The voice echoes and bounces through his head like a ball; her voice, along with several others, manage to merge into one.

"Leaf?" Gary croaks out, creases on his forehead. "Gramps? Mum? Dad?"

"It's Millard, you idiot!"

At the revelation, the vertigo vanishes, though not completely, and everything becomes clearer: the trees are more defined, sharp light green leaves in contrast with bark, and the pale, sallow face staring at him. Gary picks himself up with a groan, a hand on his sore head.

"_Finally," _Millard says, exasperated. He sits on his heels, resembling a scowling Lillipup with a greasy mop of dark hair. "I was afraid that you would never wake up and I would have to lug your stupid body back to Cecelia's."

"Did you _kick_ my head?"

"If I did...?"

Gary relents, because, _damn_, he feels like he's going to throw up (and he wonders why his mouth feels so ridiculously dry...?). "How long...was I out?"

Millard attempts to shrug carelessly, but the quiver in his tone gives him away. "Thirty minutes," he says, tapping the glass surface of the watch that's strapped to Gary's wrist. "It usually lasts for ten minutes or so. You've lasted ten minutes longer than average."

"Thirty minutes..." Gary dutifully scrawls this down, feeling surreal. _He can still feel her arms that were wrapped around him..._

"What'd you see?" Millard asks suspiciously. "The few people who'd experienced this eventually figured it was only a dream, in 'bout five minutes, I might add. But you, _you_ must've wanted to stay there, knowing you would be sucked in."

Gary remains impassive. As he tucks his notebook away, he says, "None of your business, kid." Gary reaches for his water bottle.

Suddenly, Millard's face pulls into a sneer. "Don't pretend I don't understand!"

* * *

It's night, and the navy sky is ridden with glimmering solaces to the weeping clouds. The tower stands formidably, a beacon of light and guidance.

Leaf twirls the silver band around her pinky finger as her heart pounds, much like the erratic rainfall that's pooling into puddles around her. The brunette has positioned herself in the darkest of shadows, under the cover of a tree, near the entrance of the papery gray tower. Though the ball officially begins at six p.m. and it's only five-thirty, golden light pools from the stained glass windows, and laughter trickles from the building.

_Deep breaths_, she reminds herself in a mantra. _Take deep breaths, stay cool, and_ _everything will be_ fine. From the hidden niches of Leaf's dress, she produces an extractable umbrella and a pale green masquerade mask accented with silver and crimson. She first ties on the mask, patting down any wayward strands of hair and assuring herself that the knot is secure. Afterwards, Leaf silently waits for a crowd of sorts; people that she can easily blend in with. Obviously, a woman—a girl, really, arriving alone would ensue suspicion. A possible opening occurs in the lapse of a few short moments which appears in a mass of teenagers who round the corner, all appearing to be friends. Leaf dives into the heady rain, not before unfurling her umbrella, making haste to join the group. One by one, the teenagers file through, each flashing their stamped invitations and reciting their individual names to a stoic, no-nonsense looking man who checks them off a sheet of paper.

"Your name, miss?" he asks, once it's her turn.

"May Maple," Leaf answers easily, but in a slightly hushed tone, and displays the invitation.

The security guard waves her toward a metal contraption. Another guard awaits her, and gestures Leaf to empty her pockets. "Merely a safety precaution," he explains. "Anything metallic—including Pokegears, or any machinery of the sorts—will explode within a step through the barrier."

Leaf is nodded through within seconds, and immediately upon entry, to any onlooker it would look like she's fingering a crooked earing—an exquisite piece of jewelry that's tinkered into the form of a tiny, sparkling dewdrop. But the brunette knew better. With a small twinge of her finger, Leaf activates the finely tuned mechanism inside, and before long, a reassuring voice sounds into her ear. The guests around her are clearly unaware.

"I'm assuming you're in?" His tone is casual, but like herself, it has the undertones of excitement and traces of anxiety.

Leaf follows the line of traffic, resting her eyes on the quartz walls and the merrily glowing lanterns that are fixated into the pink. As if to converse with the girl beside her, Leaf hisses, "Yup. The security's crap here. Makes you kinda wonder…"

"If they're waiting for you?"

"Read my mind, Darrel."

A mirthless laugh. "Well, anyways…have fun."

"…You messing with me?" Leaf eyes an impressive chandelier balefully. She never really enjoys missions that include shoes that constrict her feet to a nearly intolerable point, and clothing that one must be careful with. But this day's inevitable.

"Nah. It's your night, ya know?"

"I don't know. And it's technically supposed to be _May Maple's_ night."

"Cheeky little—"

"_Arceus_…" Leaf breathes, her eyes aglow at the marvelous sight; the group has reached the heart of Reminisce Tower. Similarly, choruses of admiration for the tower's architect ripple across the group. There's a large clearing, with marble floors, for dancing, where people have already congregated. Delicacies, freshly imported from foreign regions line the tower's circumference, creating a circular buffet of sorts, and wide marble staircases that wind toward the heavens, a few lifts and balconies here and there to balance everything out. In a corner, a quartet is performing a ballet.

"Finding it impressive, hm?"

"Jealous?" A smirk cuts across Leaf's lips.

"As if." They both know Darrel means it. "Save me a pastry. Preferably chocolate."

_They're _so_ alike_, Leaf thinks unintentionally, and her gut twists unexpectedly at the sudden memory of long ago friend Ash Ketchum. The brunette then finds herself startled, because she can't seem to remember _exactly_ how Ash looked like… _Was his eyes…red? Brown? Green? His hair...black? Did he smile a lot...?_ Leaf wracks and sifts through her fuzzy memories of her early years for a definite answer, and then shrugs. _Ah, well_, she reasons. _It's been years…_

"Wine?" A platter is suddenly thrust into her face by a blond in a black mask, in accordance to the ball's theme.

"Um." The brunette stares at the little stemmed glasses of red liquid uncomprehendingly until she composes herself. "Oh no… I'm uh, underaged."

"I see…" With that, the butler spins on his heel and takes off, offering the—clearly—insidious beverages to another.

"Do I really look that old?" Leaf mumbles to herself.

"You do." Along with her constricting clothing, she wishes away the earing.

" It was a rhetorical, and shut up."

A bout of static and incoherent mumbling. "Blend in. I suggest the chocolate fountain?" is all he adds next, and Leaf sighs, knowing very well that he's right—as usual. Though she's not particularly hungry—due to the fact that her stomach is doing jumping jacks—Leaf heads toward the nearest chocolate fountain, finding food more agreeable than dancing or conversing with a stranger about her nonexistent coordinating career. Towers of strawberries, pechaberries, bananas, and oranberries waiting to be dipped evenly surround the fountain in white porcelain bowls. Taking a stick from a tray, Leaf stabs the cerulean flesh of an oranberry, and twirls it under the steadily pouring chocolate waterfall.

Leaf casually waves it over her crimson brooch—which so happens to be installed with a live video feed.

"Damn, Leaf," Darrel says, clucking. "Why're you so hell-bent on trying to torture me today?"

She chuckles. "Who said I was?" she mutters lowly under her breath. Leaf's expression suddenly draws up into a pinch at the sound of crisp pickles being gnashed between one's teeth. "_Stop that_. That sounds _disgusting_."

"A person…needs to…eat."

Leaf grimaces, tempted to dispose of her earring and but then remembers her chocolate-covered oranberry. With a glance at the clock—it's only frickin' eight o'clock, the brunette lifts the stick in the general direction of her mouth—feeling lighter and almost, almost forgetting the _real_ reason why she's here, uninvited.

"Oh, you're on."

* * *

Truth to be told, it's _Ronald Hinnigin's _night. He has traveled across the globe, in search of something, just _something_, to prove his suspicions. And he's found it, and it is this: another world. Another world where modern technology and pokemon do not exist, but _magic_. Where fire falls from the skies at the wave of a human hand and where the oceans rise, the cause, a formidable will.

But the world is deteriorating-week by week, day by day, hour upon the hour. And no, _no_. Ronald refuses for his dream to die a death that no one will mourn. He will make it live, _make it thrive_.

He's at the party, in the tower, where the memory-less girl is (thankfully without that blasted Darrell). He's the Lady's finest spy, thief, _abductor_. Gloria, bless his old companion, is long dead, but sometimes, he wonders what she would say about this tricky business. But then he remembers:

Leaf Green has eluded them for years; but _today_, he will bring her to the castle, and she will die as a sacrifice in the hands of the Lady, and Ronald Hinnigin's world-no _future_, will breath once more.

* * *

Um...wow...has it already been a month? Forgive me... T.T Buuuuut...on the bright side, I've written a portion of ch 5 and I'm really excited for the upcoming chapters because its gonna be awesomesause (eat it. ha. ha. ha. _I'msolame_) thanks for reading, and drop a review if you wish!


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